Turning 26 and Need Health Insurance? Here’s What to Know

Key takeaways:

Turning 26 is a pivotal time to make decisions about your health insurance. Typically, this is when you no longer have the ability to get coverage through a parent’s plan.
There are many options for health insurance once you reach age 26, including an Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace plan, job-based insurance, a partner’s plan, or campus insurance if you’re a student.
Depending on where you live and whether you meet other requirements, you may be able to remain on a parent’s insurance plan past age 25.

Once you turn 26, there’s a good chance you’ll lose the option to remain on a parent’s health insurance plan. You may be able to retain coverage if you continue to qualify as a dependent under your state’s laws or if you have a specific disability. But it's still important to prepare for needing an insurance alternative before your 26th birthday.

Finding out if you live in a state that allows you to stay on a parent’s plan beyond age 25 is a good place to start. If you don’t, you’ll need to find coverage elsewhere to avoid being uninsured.

If your job offers health insurance, you may be able to join an employer-sponsored plan on your own. If you’re in college, you may be eligible for student health insurance. And if you’re married or have a domestic partner, you may be able to join your significant other’s plan.

There’s also the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace, where you may be able to find a plan for $10 or less per month — at least through 2025 — if you qualify for premium subsidies.

Do you lose coverage under a parent’s health insurance plan as soon as you turn 26?

No, unless your birthday is the last day of the year, you won’t lose coverage under your parent’s health insurance plan as soon as you turn 26. In most states, young adults lose coverage under a parent’s plan on December 31 of the year they turn 26. That gives most people the option to apply for coverage during the ACA open enrollment period, which begins on November 1 every year.

In some states, coverage under a parent’s plan extends well beyond the age of 25. We’ll discuss those states in the next section.

Can you stay on your parent’s health insurance after you turn 26?

At least 7 states allow young adults to be covered as a dependent under a parent’s health insurance plan past age 25 if they meet certain eligibility requirements. There’s typically no age limit for dependents with certain disabilities.

The chart below outlines the requirements to stay covered under a parent’s plan in these states.

State	How long you can remain on a parent’s plan	Eligibility requirements
Florida	Until the end of the year you turn 30	Must be an unmarried, without dependents, and not covered by any other health plan Must be a Florida resident or a full-time or part-time student
Illinois	Until your 30th birthday	Must be an unmarried Illinois resident and a veteran who has a release other than a dishonorable discharge
Nebraska	Until your 30th birthday	Must be unmarried and not covered by any other health plan Can live outside of Nebraska if attending a college, university, or trade school full time
New Jersey	Until your 31st birthday	Must be unmarried, without dependents, and not covered by any other health plan Can live outside of New Jersey if attending an accredited institution of higher education full time Must have been covered by a health plan previously
New York	Until your 30th birthday	Must be unmarried, not eligible for health insurance through an employer, and live or work in New York state or the insurance company’s service area
Pennsylvania	Until your 30th birthday	Must be unmarried, without dependents, and not covered by any other insurance plan Must be a Pennsylvania resident, unless enrolled in an institution of higher education full time
South Dakota	Until your 30th birthday	Must be a full-time student

Is there a grace period for enrollment after you turn 26?

Yes, once you turn 26, you can still have coverage under your parent’s health insurance for the rest of the calendar year. Plus, under the ACA, losing your dependent status on your parent’s health insurance plan is a qualifying life event. That means you’ll be eligible for a special enrollment period through the ACA marketplace.

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

Insurance for college students: Colleges, universities, and vocational schools usually require proof of insurance before enrollment. Learn about campus health plans and other policies for students.
Low-cost health insurance options: If you qualify, you could find affordable health insurance through an Affordable Care Act marketplace, Medicaid, Medicare, or a partner or parent’s plan.
Parting with your job? It’s important to check the date your health insurance will expire before leaving a job. It could be the day your employment stops or the end of that month.

The special enrollment period begins 60 days before the date you lose coverage and lasts for 60 days after. If you take charge, evaluate your options, and make a decision early enough, you can avoid a gap in insurance coverage.

What are your options if you no longer have coverage through a parent’s plan?

You may have many options for health insurance after you lose coverage under your parent’s plan. Depending on your individual circumstances, these options could include coverage through:

Job-based insurance: Depending on your job, you may be eligible for employer-sponsored insurance.
A partner’s plan: If you have a spouse or domestic partner who has insurance, you may be able to join their plan during an open enrollment or special enrollment period.
The ACA marketplace: Through the ACA exchange, you may be able to find coverage for $10 or less per month if you qualify for a premium subsidy.
Medicaid: Depending on your income, you may qualify for coverage through your state or territory's Medicaid program.
A special plan: Short-term insurance can be a great choice if you anticipate a better option, like job-based health insurance, to be available soon. You may also consider alternative and limited-benefit plans, such as fixed indemnity, accident, cost-sharing, and catastrophic insurance plans.
Student health insurance: If you’re enrolled in a college or university, you may be eligible for a campus health plan.
Medicare: If you have a qualifying disability or condition — such as end-stage renal disease or ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease) — you can enroll in Medicare at any age.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits: If you are an active-duty service member or a veteran, you may qualify for Tricare and/or VA healthcare benefits and services.
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA): You may be able to continue coverage with COBRA under your parent’s plan, but this option typically comes with very high costs.

Where can I purchase health insurance when I turn 26?

Depending on your eligibility, you may be able to find a health insurance plan through:

The ACA marketplace
Your employer
Your partner’s insurance carrier
Medicaid
Medicare
Medicare with Medicaid if you qualify as dually eligible based on your health and income
Your college or university
A commercial insurance company selling health plans in your area

Choosing a health plan

There are a few factors you should consider when choosing a health plan or weighing the options presented in the previous section. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

What’s my budget? You may prefer to pay higher premiums and have lower costs when you receive care. Or lower premiums and higher costs when you access care may work better for you.
What are my healthcare needs? You may be better off choosing a health plan that has your current healthcare professionals in its network or covers healthcare professionals of your choice. You should also check that you will have coverage for your medications.
Am I expecting any major life events soon? If you need to have surgery or expect to need prenatal or postnatal services in the next year, you should consider that in your decision.
Will I have a partner with insurance coverage? If you plan to get married or enter a domestic partnership that will give you access to health insurance, a short-term insurance plan may be the best option for you.

Major types of health plans

Consider the pros and cons of different types of health plans when you’re weighing your options. There are the 4 main types of health plans:

A 2024 KFF survey reported that, among people with employer-provided health plans:

48% were enrolled in PPOs
27% were enrolled in HDHPs with savings options
13% were enrolled in HMOs
11% were enrolled in POS plans
1% were enrolled in conventional plans (also known as indemnity or fee-for-service plans)

The chart below provides a brief overview of the features of HDHPs, HMOs, PPOs, and POS plans.

Health plan type	Features
HDHP	Typically, this type of plan has low premiums and high deductibles, but preventive care is covered in full before meeting the deductible. For 2025, the IRS defined an HDHP as any plan with a deductible of at least $1,650 for an individual or $3,300 for a family.
HMO	This type of plan has lower premiums and deductibles than PPOs, but you pay the full fee to see an out-of-network healthcare professional. Some of these plans have no deductibles. A primary care provider must refer you to specialists.
PPO	This type of plan has higher premiums and deductibles than HMOs, but more flexibility to choose healthcare professionals. You can see specialists without a primary care provider’s referral and are not restricted to a service area.
POS	This type of plan combines elements of PPOs and HMOs; there are no deductibles, but you often have copays when receiving care. If you see a healthcare professional out of network, you may have to pay the full cost upfront and file for reimbursement on your own.

Frequently asked questions

Colleges, universities, and vocational schools typically require proof of health insurance before you can enroll. For people who don’t have their own coverage, schools may offer a campus health plan that will pay for care at campus healthcare centers and may cover care at other sites. Some schools offer discounted student health plans through a commercial insurance company that covers care at a network of healthcare facilities. Often, students are required to pay premiums for the semester or quarter, and the amount due will be a line item on their tuition bill.

VA facilities may not be able to address all of your healthcare needs, but you can use VA benefits alongside your insurance. People who qualify for care at VA facilities are often covered by Tricare, but you may also have another type of insurance — such as commercial insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. The VA will review your benefits to determine the primary and secondary payers if you have more than one plan.

The bottom line

In the world of health insurance, age 26 is an important milestone. That’s because, under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), young adults typically qualify for dependent coverage under a parent’s insurance plan through age 25 and until the end of the year they turn 26. Though, in some states, you can stay on a parent’s plan for years after your 26th birthday.

If you do lose your insurance when you turn 26, you may qualify for job-based insurance, coverage under a partner’s plan, or campus health insurance if you’re a student. You can also search for a plan on the ACA marketplace. Depending on your income and health conditions, you may qualify for Medicaid, Medicaid, or both.

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Written by:

Cindy George, MPH

Cindy George, MPH, is the senior personal finance editor at GoodRx. She is an endlessly curious health journalist and digital storyteller.

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